My Gorge Rises at It

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.

(Vulcan (or possibly Irish) saying)

Leonard Nimoy passed away today. That is sad. He seemed like a good guy and class act. I suppose for most people Nimoy was Spock, the popular science fiction cultural icon. For me, Nimoy was Spock, sure, but he was also the voice of supernatural mystery, conspiracy theory, and the unknown; an accomplished if occasionally eccentric fine art photographer; and, as far as I can tell, a thoughtful mensch. It's good to be a mensch, by definition.

I don't know if 83 is a long life or not. Looking at it from the perspective of middle age, it seems like an awfully long life to me. When you're very young, the idea of being 83 is so inconcievable as to be a purely abstract concept like infinity. When you're young, but not so very young, 83 is an unaesthetic age. To be 83 years old is to be weak, crooked, and sexually unappealing. It doesn't matter so much that physical prowess and sexual conquest aren't necessarily priorities when you're 83, because when you're in your 20s everyone is evaluated as though they are in their 20s too. But looking at 83 from 44, 83 seems like a good time to call it a day, if you ask me.

Your mileage may vary.